Suture package

ABSTRACT

A sterile suture package and method of assembling it comprising a double-panel cardboard holder with the suture coiled around a pair of spaced openings in a first one of the panels, and that panel having a pair of tabs, one at each side of the coil engaging over the suture strands at the corresponding side, the other panel having a pair of tabs complemental respectively to the holes in the first panel each tab being adapted to be pushed through the corresponding hole in the first panel and being positioned and shaped to extend beyond the edge of the hole and interlock releasably the two panels together until use of the suture when the folded panels are opened and the coiled suture exposed for progressive withdrawal.

United States Patent Robert L. Bordeau Staunton, Va.

Sept. 8, 1969 Dec. 14, 197 1 Philip Morris Incorporated New York, N.Y.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee SUTURE PACKAGE 8 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

US. Cl

Int. Cl

Field of Search Tressel Ulich et a1.

Siegler Lewis et al 3,280,971 10/1966 Regan, Jr 206/633 FOREIGN PATENTS449,597 6/1936 Great Britain 206/64 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. LeclairAssistant Examiner.l. M. Caskie An0rneyWatson, Leavenworth & KeltonABSTRACT: A sterile suture package and method of assemhling itcomprising a double-panel cardboard holder with the suture coiled arounda pair of spaced openings in a first one of the panels, and that panelhaving a pair of tabs, one at each side of the coil engaging over thesuture strands at the corresponding side, the other panel having .a pairof tabs complemental respectively to the holes in the first panel eachtab being adapted to be pushed through the corresponding hole in thefirst panel and being positioned and shaped to extend beyond the edge ofthe hole and interlock releasably the two panels together until use ofthe suture when the folded panels are opened and the coiled sutureexposed for progressive withdrawal.

SUTUREPACKAGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns asuture package in which a suture is mounted in a coiled arrangement on acard for storage and for dispensing in a sterile condition. The priorart discloses a great variety of suture packages of that general typedirected to various practical problems such as methods of initiallyapplying the suture to the support and securing it thereon, maintainingthe strands in an orderly arrangement during handling and distributionof the package and insuring that the strand may be withdrawn for use inan untangled unkinked condition. The following patents are illustrativeof some types of suture packages of this general character: Lewis etal., U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,0l8, Regan, Jr. 3,280,97 l, Shave et al., US.Pat. No. 3,363,751, and Kaepemik et al., U.S. Pat No. 3,444,994.

THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a sterilesuture package is provided which prior to use holds the suturecompletely protected against mechanical damage yet in an unkinkedcondition and completely ready for use. It embodies a cardboard wrap ofa character that enables the suture to be readily applied thereto andcompletely supports and contains the suture and needle againstmechanical damage, and in use ensures that the suture may be freelywithdrawn without tangling or kinking.

In the specific example illustrated herein the wrap comprises twosections or panels formed by serrating or scoring a cardboard along amidline for ready folding of one panel upon the other. The suture iscoiled on the upper face of one panel and the needle, if one is includedand attached, is held on the other panel. The suture panel has twoopenings therein spaced longitudinally of the panel about which thesuture is coiled. The other panel has a pair of tabs complemental to theholes in the suture panel and after the coils are formed the other panelis folded over the coils and the tabs are pushed through thecorresponding holes, the tabs being positioned and having a length sothat they extend beyond the edge of the corresponding hole and form aninterlocking means between the two panels and maintain the coil in itsinitially formed positron.

The suture panel also has a pair of opposed tabs extendinglongitudinally of the panel one at each side of the coil and adapted toengage over the strands of the coil at each side to aid in maintainingthe coiled state. When in use the needle panel is lifted and theinterlocking tabs withdrawn from the holes. The arrangement as a wholeis simple and easy to assemble and effective in maintaining the suturein orderly untangled and unkinked form during handling of the packageand during the progressive withdrawal of the suture in use.

Various additional features and advantages will become apparent inconsidering the specific embodiment disclosed in the drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a view of the cardboard holder prior to the application of thesuture thereto;

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the suture applied in coiled condition;

FIG. 3 shows the one panel folded over onto the suture panel andinterlocked therewith, the panel to which the suture is applied beinguppermost in this view, reversed from FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view with the suture panellowermost.

The package employs as the basic element a section of cardboard sheet orlike material 11 having a thickness of for example about l2 mils. It isscored or serrated or otherwise weakened along a midline 12 to dividethe cardboard into two panels 13 and 14, preferably of equal size whichmay be folded together in book form along the line 12.

The panel M is provided with a pair of openings 15 spaced longitudinallyof the panel the outer edge of the openings 16 being arc-shaped toconform with the ends of the coils of the suture 17 mounted on thepanel.

The suture may be coiled about the openings 15 by any practical methodbut conveniently it may be by placing the panel 14 on a fixture having apair of fingers projecting ups wardly through the openings and windingthe suture in open coil from about the two fingers. Upon completionthereof the fingers are separated from the openings 15 leaving the coilin the condition shown in FIG. 2. The initial end of the suture 20 maybe engaged in one or the other of the pair of slits 21, 22. The panel 13has a flexible tab 23 conveniently formed by appropriate slits in thecardboard panel and the final or forward end of the suture may beengaged thereunder, or if a needle 24 is preattached the needle isengaged thereunder as shown in FIG. 2. As an aid in maintaining theposition of the coiled suture on panel M the panel is provided with apair of opposed tabs 26 extending longitudinally of the panel 14 andadapted flexibly to engage and overlie the lonptudinal strands of thesuture coil. The tabs 26 may be simply and conveniently formed byarc-shaped cuts in the panel 14 as indicated at 27 in FIG. 3.

As a convenient means in arranging the longitudinal strands under thetabs 26 the two groups of strands initially may overlie the respectivetabs 26, then by compressing the center portions of the groups ofstrands toward each other the tabs may be temporarily bent upwardly fromundemeath by fixture eles ments and after the center portions of thestrands are released from the inward pressure the flaps are released tofold down over the respective groups of strands. This latter step may ofcourse be performed simultaneously with the separation of the panel fromthe fingers over which the ends of the coils are formed.

The panel 13 as shown particularly in FIG. 2 is provided with a pair ofopposed tabs 28 conveniently formed by arcshaped slits 29 in thecardboard panel I3, the tabs 28 being complemental to or adapted toregister with the holes 15 of the panel M. The suture coil having beenformed on the panel M as disclosed in FIG. 2, the panel 13 is thenfolded over and the tabs 28 pressed through the respective openings 15.It will be noted particularly as shown in FIG. 4 that the tabs 28 are sopositioned and have a length relative to the holes 15 that upon beingpushed through the openings 15 the outer lip or edge 30 of each tabextends inwardly beyond the edge 31 of the hole so as to flexibly engageagainst the outer surface of panel 14 and form an interlock between thetwo panels with the ends 32 of the coiled suture maintained outside thetabs 28.

It should be understood that the term suture" as employed herein refersto strands of suitable material commonly employed for the purpose suchas silk, nylon, catgut or polymeric plastic and includes strandscommonly referred to as ligatures.

The final package as disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4 will be enclosed in asealed envelope under sterile conditions and includes a tubing fluidwithin the envelope as is common practice. The texture of the card issuch as to absorb the tubing fluid keeping the suture soft and pliableduring periods of storage.

In use the package of FIG. 2, after withdrawal from its one or moreenclosing envelopes, is opened by grasping the panel edges opposite tothe hinge l2 and opening the package to a suitable extent by withdrawingthe flexible tabs 28 from the holes 15 to a position such as shown inFIG. 2 where the user may grasp the needle 24%, or the forward end ofthe suture as the case may be, with forceps and pulling on the sutureunwinds the coils progressively the tabs 26 helping to control andmaintain the suture in free running untangled condition.

Since various changes may be made in certain details of the suturepackage and the method of assembling it shown and described hereinwithout departing from the general principles of the invention, it isintended that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

l. A suture package comprising a first panel and a second panel, a pairof spaced holes in said first panel, said second panel having a pair oftabs complemental to the holes in said first panel and arranged when thepanels are superposed to project through the respective holes, said tabshaving a length sufficient to extend beyond the edge of thecorresponding hole thereby to lock the panels together in face-to-facerelation, and a suture coiled around said tabs with strands extendingtherebetween enclosed between the panels.

2. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said tabs areflexible permitting the panels to be separated with the suture coilexposed on the surface of said first panel.

3. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said panelscomprise a common integral sheet with a fold line at a common edge area.

4. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which the tabs extendtoward each other in opposed relation and the suture coils have endloops around the tabs exposed exteriorly of the package through saidholes in the first panel.

5. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said tabscomprise portions of the sheet defined by slits therein.

6. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said first panelhas longitudinal tabs engaged over the strands extending between saidtabs of the second panel.

7. A suture package in accordance with claim 6 in which saidlongitudinal tabs comprise an opposed pair defined by arc-shaped slitsin said first panel the edges of the tabs extending over the suturestrands being curved.

8. A suture package comprising a first panel of sheet material having apair of spaced holes therein, a suture coiled on the surface thereofwith end loops extending around the respective holes, a second panel offlexible sheet material superposed over said suture coil having a pairof opposed tabs complemental to said holes, said tabs being pushedthrough the respective holes thereby to engage within the respective endloops and maintain the coiled condition of the suture, and said tabshaving a length to extend beyond the inner edge of the respective holesto releasably lock the panels together.

i i l l i

1. A suture package comprising a first panel and a second panel, a pairof spaced holes in said first panel, said second panel having a pair oftabs complemental to the holes in said first panel and arranged when thepanels are superposed to project through the respective holes, said tabshaving a length sufficient to extend beyond the edge of thecorresponding hole thereby to lock the panels together in face-to-facerelation, and a suture coiled around said tabs with strands extendingtherebetween enclosed between the panels.
 2. A suture package inaccordance with claim 1 in which said tabs are flexible permitting thepanels to be separated with the suture coil exposed on the surface ofsaid first panel.
 3. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 inwhich said panels comprise a common integral sheet with a fold line at acommon edge area.
 4. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 inwhich the tabs extend toward each other in opposed relation and thesuture coils have end loops around the tabs exposed exteriorly of thepackage through said holes in the first panel.
 5. A suture package inaccordance with claim 1 in which said tabs comprise portions of thesheet defined by slits therein.
 6. A suture package in accordance withclaim 1 in which said first panel has longitudinal tabs engaged over thestrands extending between said tabs of the second panel.
 7. A suturepackage in accordance with claim 6 in which said longitudinal tabscomprise an opposed pair defined by arc-shaped slits in said first panelthe edges of the tabs extending over the suture strands being curved. 8.A suture package comprising a first panel of sheet material having apair of spaced holes therein, a suture coiled on the surface thereofwith end loops extending around the respective holes, a second panel offlexible sheet material superposed over said suture coil having a pairof opposed tabs complemental to said holes, said tabs being pushedthrough the respective holes thereby to engage within the respective endloops and maintain the coiled condition of the suture, and said tabshaving a length to extend beyond the inner edge of the respective holesto releasably lock the panels together.